Builder Magazine presents six lessons for builders to learn from the housing bust, including 'limit your land holdings', 'build smarter', and 'diversify beyond new-home construction'.
"1. Build Smarter
When K. Hovnanian unveiled its high-performance Building America Concept Home earlier this month, it took a bolder step onto a path towards energy-efficient construction that more builders are also now walking.
Building efficient homes makes business sense in what's shaping up to be a tougher regulatory climate. As such, it's not surprising to see more builders promote their "greenness." Lennar and Concordia Homes are among the builders that have made solar panels standard for certain of their communities. Artistic Homes in New Mexico has spent the last decade moving towards its ultimate goal of building net-zero-energy homes exclusively. And then there's Centex and Pulte, whose merger brings together two companies whose homes have garnered recognition for their energy-saving features.
Environmental concern is also manifesting itself in builders' and buyers' increasing interest in transit-oriented development."
FULL STORY: 6 Lessons For Builders From the Housing Bust

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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